


A Touch Of Joy

by sweetcarolanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Future Fic, Gen, Halloween, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, Post-War, TOT Treat, ToT: Chocolate Box
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-23 04:52:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8314564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetcarolanne/pseuds/sweetcarolanne
Summary: Hermione and friends prepare for a Halloween celebration at wizarding university - but the shadow of the war still renaibs...





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mlraven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlraven/gifts).



> An extra little treat for you, dear recipient - hope you enjoy!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters and am making no money from this story.
> 
> Many thanks to my beta who wishes to remain anonymous.

The Great Hall at the First War Memorial Wizarding University was not as ancient or grand as the one at Hogwarts had been. It was a far more modern structure, designed for comfort rather than spectacle, but it now looked most magnificent indeed. The Halloween Committee had done a splendid job with the decorations, and the place wore a festive, as well as slightly spooky, air

Delicate wreaths of painted wooden bones, bright orange streamers and glittering black bats adorned the walls. Pumpkins every bit as large and imposing as those Hagrid had grown in his garden at Hogwarts had been carved into massive lanterns with macabre faces and wide, toothy grins.

The big central table would be laid out with the best silverware and tablecloths embroidered with golden spider-webs when the time for the Halloween Feast arrived. Beside each place at the table would be a finely crafted miniature bucket in the shape of a carved pumpkin or a grinning skull, filled to the brim with the most delicious Honeydukes sweets, fruit and nuts, and small toys or other little gifts. For this feast was not only a holiday celebration for the students at the university – it was a chance to bring a touch of joy into the lives of young witches and wizards who had lost loved ones during the war against the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters.

Hermione Granger, chairperson of the Halloween Committee, stood back and admired the handiwork of her team of volunteers and herself as the last streamers were fastened and the biggest pumpkins were finally hauled into place.

“This looks brilliant, everybody – well done!” she told the group, who promptly gave themselves three cheers.

Ginny Weasley brushed her dishevelled hair out of her face and smiled. “We’ve certainly managed to get a good mixture of fun and scary into this theme, if I do say so myself. It’s something the little kids will like, but that the older ones won’t think is too childish.”

Hermione nodded, and then turned to Parvati Patil who was standing nearby. “Have you finished the place-cards?”

“All done – and here they are,” Parvati replied with a grin almost as wide as the ones on the lanterns, and pulled them out of her bag for Hermione to inspect. Hermione nodded approvingly.

“They look amazing – I love the black cats and the ghosts,” she told her friend, and gave the cards back to Parvati so that she and Lavender Brown could start laying them above each of the elaborate place-settings.

Seeing the name at the top of the pile of cards – Dennis Creevey – made Hermione frown a little as she remembered all that the wizarding world still had to mourn. Hopefully, though, coming together through celebrations such as this one would help everyone to begin the long journey of healing which now lay ahead.


End file.
